A Cannon Fodder, but with Max Happiness

[Content warnings are at the beginning of Chapter 1 and take up a little of the free chapter word count.]

Qu Yuanqing’s first position at the quick transmigration bureau was in the [Supporting Male Character Cannon Fodder Acting Team].

The System explained: As the name suggests, you’re a minor male character. All you have to do is quietly keep the protagonists company when they’re hurt and disappointed, support them through the low points in their lives, risk your life to help them when they’re in trouble, or stubbornly pursue them and give them your love no matter what...

But the protagonists won’t fall in love with you. They’ll only be moved by what their love interests do for them.

Your eyes will always follow the protagonists, but you’ll never get so much as a scrap of affection from them.

Qu Yuanqing: I don’t know what you call it here at the bureau, but where I’m from, we call that being a lovesick doormat. That kind of character isn’t in my comfort zone.

System: High pay, few scenes, early finishes.

Qu Yuanqing: But then again, comfort zones are meant to be broken. People should keep challenging themselves and trying new things... Where do I sign?

First assignment:

You’re an ordinary disciple of the Qingxue Sect. Because you’re in love with the senior brother, you take a blow meant for him from an ambusher during a mission, shattering your core. Feeling guilty, the senior brother takes you in and personally cares for you, eventually realizing how you feel.

You become cultivation partners, but no one in the Qingxue Sect approves. They think you’re not good enough for the senior brother.

A few years later, the senior brother enters a secret realm and rescues a young man. When he returns, he apologizes and tells you that all he ever felt for you was gratitude. Now he wants to be with the person he truly loves.

You throw a fit, only making everyone hate and look down on you even more.

With poor talent and a damaged foundation, you die before you’re even forty.

All you have to do is play the brief life of an outer sect disciple, and then you can officially clock out.

After Qu Yuanqing starts the job:

Senior Brother: How long have A-Qing and I known each other? And how long have I known that young man? How could I neglect A-Qing for someone else?

Everyone else: The senior brother treats you badly. You should give up on him and look at someone else.

Second assignment:

You’re an unremarkable, hopeless student who falls in love at first sight with a transfer student. You’re cheerful and generous, and you throw money at the poor transfer student to get him to be your boyfriend.

The transfer student accepts your pursuit, but he’s only grateful to you, not in love with you. He uses your money to pay off his family’s debts and save their old house from being sold. After dating you for just a month, he breaks up with you.

Your top-student childhood friend stands up for you and starts picking fights with the transfer student, but gradually develops feelings for you...

Your main assignment is complete. You only need to maintain your character and occasionally work overtime. The rest of the time, you can plan your life freely while waiting to clock out for good.

After Qu Yuanqing starts the job:

Transfer student: You gave me all this money. Isn’t just letting you kiss my cheek a little unfair? Don’t worry, I’ll spend my whole life repaying this “debt.”

Top-student childhood friend: I haven’t kept my feelings bottled up all these years just to be friends with you!

Third assignment:

You’re a hypocritical movie star who seems gentle on the outside but is dark inside. After someone sets you up, a gifted newcomer who has just entered the industry saves you. From then on, you fall for him, but you don’t dare confess because he already has a boyfriend.

But his so-called boyfriend is still only keeping him at this point.

You have no idea, and after causing some trouble between the newcomer and his sugar daddy, you finally get your chance when they break up. You invite the newcomer to star in a film with you, but your performance ends up helping him realize his feelings for his sugar daddy.

The newcomer and his sugar daddy begin a normal relationship. Your part is complete, and all you need to do now is maintain your character and wait to clock out for good.

After Qu Yuanqing starts the job:

That night, after he’s been set up, the newcomer walks into the room and carefully runs his hands over Qu Yuanqing’s body. Breathing heavily, he says, “Teacher Qu... I’m so close to you now.”

The newcomer’s sugar daddy: Qu Yuanqing, I never realized you were this hot.

Fourth assignment:

You’re the Crown Prince of the Dasheng Dynasty, but you’re cruel and twisted. Everyone fears you, but no one cares for you sincerely, and you don’t care either.

The only person you care about is your childhood crush, but when rebels break into the capital, he personally hands you over to the enemy.

It turns out he and the rebel leader have long been in love. With a new ruler on the throne, they’re now the emperors of this land, while you’ve become their prisoner.

While imprisoned, you need to put on a show of resistance as the protagonist uses you to test a cure for the gu poison you once planted in that person. Then you can fake your death and escape, plan your life freely, and wait to clock out.

After Qu Yuanqing starts the job:

Childhood crush: Since this poison is called “Entwined,” you and I are destined to be entangled for life.

Rebel leader: You’ve poisoned someone before, so who’s to say you haven’t poisoned me too, making me... think about you day and night!

Theme: Always hold on to an optimistic, determined will to survive.